New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-17
A CITY HOME. .
THE EXPERIENCES OF A HOuSE-HUSTER
c,eond PdDer


Consequently hen Prudence and got back TO ouz
hotel after morning spent In reviewing hata that
wouldn't do, from tn, mot entirely grsnd-sssnd
of inexperience We we're both inordnssey
hungry. 1t happened. consequently, that our
Joint consumption Of lunch on the European
plan was so large that l felt in dischArgin2
the reckoning that If we were to gve many days to
the pursuit Of fats that beckoned ony to disappont
It would be incumbent upon us to change from the
European to less expensive plan or retreat into In
voluntary bankruptcy. Hope however, springs
eternal to the Prov of the bark even OF those who
ask tor bread and receive stone, more precisely.
who ask for light bedrooms with q southern exposure
and have dark closets pamed ca upon them which
could hardly be less exposed they were tho feces Of
our esteemed contemporaries the beauties OF the
Sultans household.
At half-psst 2 o'clock Prudence arose from the
unchable visbly refreshed vsiby eager Tor the mas
fray to recommence. While waiting tor our hackman'
with whom had made appointment at parting,
we decided after free interchange OF views-mosty
Prudence's views-to look at q nat or two without
before turning steps to any more OF the
other sort An experienced New Yorker had given nc
this advice IT you secure fat with elevator, 90
up az high as you can the higher you live the better
the air and the less the noise But II the fiat has NJ
elevator think twice before you decide to become much
of a celestial. May stairs often climbed become
WEAKNESS of the flesh. II they do not become any
thnh worse" We mindful OF this hint. and after
turning concluded that very likely We could get
the most for money in Hat without an elevator
An elevator is o somewhat costly convenience OF
course and tenants have to pay for using It, Could
we not get along comfortably without one-tempo-
rarilyi We believed we COULD If we found fat that
suited us and that did not necessitate the climbing Of
too many or too long fights OF stairs.
There were four fats list that like the fash
iouable French novel and the temperance hotel were
not supplied with that which elevates. The mose
promuing ono was centrally situated. " three hights
l.l~ at,a andy
q rent that was satstactory-Sl 900 per year. living
the hackman the address we renewed our quest tor
that temporary abidng-place which was to Dc the
coigu of vantage tho Psgah summit from which 70 view
the landscape Ger for veritabe home in the metrop-
olis-humble but dear with marked emphasis on the
desr) But we did not rent this fiat. Oh. no. think
we would have done so but for one thing.
The plumbing.
This time il was the accredited agent of the building
present by q happy chance, who showed US about we
we're not hard to please we had been In the morn
ing and il the apartments did not positively delight us
thew certainly did ofeud We shut our eyes to
the tact that they rather small preferring 70
regard them as very cosey Besides they we're light
and airy til do0r-opener-that ingeniou, ong-range
aid to hospitality was In good ORDER there was
wide throated ashshoot ell the electric bells that
were called would ring and on the roof there was
lovely place 20 hang clothes. Just We were on the
point as it seemed OF closing the bargain. Prudence
remarked to the agent, with pleading look In her
ewes If could be convinced that the plumbing was
what 1t ought to be, should be inclined to rent OF
youn The agent flushed up and made instant answer
He did not contend that the plumbing Of that fiat was
part of the recognized economy that keeps the mt
verse In motion Not quite. But take him at his word
and there was not the shadow of doubt OF that par
ticuar piece of plumbing being the cons dmmae mower
OF the skill Of the champion plumber OF the period
plumbing which one had only to appreciate to lie loet
in wonder, love and praise over
ty,a ha ut1linO Prudence
eested at the close OF his glowing tribute to have an
expert selected by the Board OF Health pass upon the
plumbingi By means. by no hieans; It was out OF
the question. The agent, with all his passionate ad'
miration Of the plumbing instantly and emphatically
declined to accede to Prudences request
aNo, maam You must excuse me. We don't DO
busines, In that way The pumbing's as l represents
it to be- No. in every respect, butt this nth tho
air of Booth as Richelieu" Threatening TO launch
the curse OF Rone " we don't to have, and We
won't have outsiders nvsing about our premises"
Il occurred to us that we had violence to Of
the rules of etiquette regulating the relations OF tho
plumbers aud the public But it also occurred 10 Us
that our request was o perfectly reasonable one
Prudence whose heart is all geneness. certainly had
no intention OF bringing any plumber to an unhappy
and premature grave causing him to exciam IN bitter
ness Of spirit composing his own eptsph here lies
one whose name was written in sewer gas" NO such
suspicion could possibly attach to Prudence All she
and aimed at Was what Tho.nas Jefferson would have
STYLED decent respect Tor our own health
We babe tho agent q respectful good-afternoon
thanking him for his courtesy Don't mention IT
he said We concluded wouldn't. Once more the
world was all before where to choose. AS we again
took our seats in the hack ventured to whisper to
Prudence not be discouraged that in the language
of the uncomfortable Grant would find nat to our
liking if it took all summer that in the vocabulary of
Youth the word fail a fragrant Typographical
error. But didn't seem tv make much OF an impress
sion upon her. think Prudence was conscious az she
never had been before OF the soemniy OF life How
ever the hackmap seemed to be In good spirits. When
had given him the address OF the fiat list
he started Of With crack OF his whip which had the
effect of a salute. HAPPY man 1t was clear that no
had solved the problem existence in the metropolis
OF the New World.
feel myself blushing to the roots Of my har-bush
ing for human naturess begin to stare how it hap
pened that we did engage that next dat 1t was
nice flat The surroundings were nice, the rent was
,ithin our means. and the uroane iaptor exclaimed
Why cert'nly" when Prudence requested that rep
resentative OF the Board OF Health might be allowed
to inspect the plumbing The hitch came when that
tunot0nary turned to me aud Observed there's Just
the two of youi" told him there were four in ow
family.
crest grown up !" inquired the jsnitor.
"No; my girl is nine years old and my boy seven"
The iantor said he sorry but he couldn't rent 10
U.S. Why not Well, the tenant directly underneath
was q very nervous man, had dyspepsia awtully, and
didn't sleep worth cent He took his Hat on long
lease on the condition that the floor hum should
not be rented to people with young children. Such
was the substance of the janitor's explanation. He
considerably added that there fiat on the sixth
floor that we could have if it suited Six stories up
and no elevator! No. we wero just as much obliged,
but We wouldn't trouble him further. A centpeds
might not mind walking up and down six pairs OF
steep stairs day in and day out since having out
one pair of legs he would have ninety other pairs
to fall back upon. But neither Prudence nor was
oentipede
al Think said Prudence that have all the exer-
else of this sort that can endure for to-day" Accord
ingy remarked to the driver that we would take .
turn In Central Park far the Obelisk and then
he would please take US back to our hotel As We
rolled away ia the direction of the Park suggested 70
Prudence that our experiences VI the dry would fur
nish material tor magazine article.
9Itit tell to me to write IT," answered Prudence,